Keira Knightley began her acting career, aged only seven years old, when she appeare in an episode of BBC TV programme Screen One.

See a 3 collages (I made of KK at the movies ) below from then and now...

Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet in Pride & Prejudice

Joe Wright on casting Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Bennet:

"I
wouldn't say that I didn't want to cast her, I didn't go to anyone else
before Keira but I felt perhaps that she was too beautiful to play
Elizabeth Bennet. So I met her anyway, and she was the right age and I
was very keen to cast people that were the right age. So I met Keira
very late one night in a hotel bar in Montreal and discovered this
scruffy little kid who's a tomboy really, sort of spiky knees and
elbows, and suddenly it occurred to me that was perfect for Elizabeth.
Elizabeth Bennet is a tomboy and she refuses to conform to the feminine
ideals of the period. Then I started talking to Keira and discovered her
to be incredibly bright, incredibly funny, independently spirited, very
strong young woman who doesn't say what she thinks you want to hear,
but says exactly what she thinks. All of those qualities made me think
that Keira was perfect for Elizabeth Bennet."

"She
was the most incredibly focused person of any age that I have ever met
and I think that is part of her strength. She's extraordinary, she's
almost Zen-like in that way, she's really extraordinarily focused. She
conserves her energy; she puts it all into those moments when the camera
is turning. She's incredible."

Keira Knightley on being cast as Elizabeth Bennet:

“
I was terrified to the point where I begged my agents not to put me up
for it because I’ve been so obsessed by the book. When I was seven, I
had all of the Austen novels on book tape and I’d listen to them on the
loop. Then I saw the BBC version and I was obsessed with that. Elizabeth
Bennet is one of my favorite characters in English literature. I
absolutely adore her. When one of my agents went, `Alright, you’re going
to read for Elizabeth Bennet´. I said, `No don’t, I’m going to fuck it
up. Please don’t do it. I couldn’t bear it if I ruined her.´ I was so
terrified that I learned the entire script, my character and everybody
else’s by heart before I started.”

“I’ve
been obsessed by Pride and Prejudice since I was seven when my mum got
me a tape of the book and I used to listen to it on a loop. Then I got
two dolls houses: the small one was called Longbourn [the Bennet family
home] and the big one which my mum still has is called Pemberley [Mr
Darcy’s palatial estate] and I had all the characters from the book.
When the TV version [starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth] came out
when I was nine I watched it solidly for two years, and I was obsessed
again. The TV version was such a hit and I thought there’s no way I can
do it because nobody will buy me as Elizabeth Bennet. But luckily my
agent and family forced me into going to meet Joe Wright and I’m very
glad that I did.” (Keira Knightley)

He said...She said:

"Joe
just kept saying that he believed in me, which is amazing because all
actresses are, by nature, completely insecure beings. If they say that
they’re not, they’re lying. It’s a profession made out of insecurities.
You’ve got to use them all. So, to have somebody say, `I believe in you,
you can do this´ is absolutely extraordinary. He [Joe Wright] was so
sweet and he kept saying, `I’m going to keep you safe darling, don’t
worry about it´"(Keira Knightley)

"When I met Keira, I realized that she asks questions of herself and
other people, and is really a tomboy. She has a lively mind and a great
sense of humor. During shooting, she kept on surprising me. What does
one look for in an actor? Originality of thought; somebody who is able
and willing to give their heart to what they are doing, and is able to
really listen to the other actors. Keira did all of that, and was a hard
worker."(Joe Wright)

“Joe Wright had other ideas. He thought I was far too pretty. Then we
met and he changed his mind. He realized that I was a complete scruff,
and said: `You’re perfect.´” (Keira Knightley)

“I don´t really know what to say about Keira other than the fact that
she´s brilliant. So focused. And clear. In between takes she´d just sit
very, very still, conserve all the energy. She worked like a dog. Every
day she was on the set.” (Joe Wright)

“She
(keira Knightley) was a delight. She came straight on to the set from
one film [P&P], and was going straight off to the next [Domino]. And
she was fantastic. So self-possessed and connected.” (Matthew Macfadyen)“Keira had an agent at birth! This is your mum, this is your dad, this is your agent!” (Matthew Macfadyen)

What was it like working with Keira?”Delightful
to work with. Easy-peasy. Lovely. I wish there was some dirt on Keira.
It’s infuriating that there isn’t. She’s a proper actress but she makes
me feel very old, and I’m just 30. And she was going straight off to do
another film, she was exhausted. I’d screen-tested and rehearsed with
her, and I’d auditioned with her. We got on and it was fine.” (Matthew
Macfadyen)

“Keira’s
the heart of it. It’s her movie and that’s what it’s all about. She’s a
wonderful actress. She’s so profound. I thought she was really good in
Bend It Like Beckham. But, you know, she’s a kid. Then, when I watched
her working with Joe Wright, she was perfect. She sat there. She joked
around but she didn’t joke around. She participated but she was always
separate and disciplined and alone and concentrated and attentive and
respectful, respectful of the work. It was like working with a zen
person. She was so pure. I was hugely impressed.” (Donald Sutherland)

Question: Before I saw this film I must confess that I thought to myself 'I can't see Keira Knightley as that character'
- mainly because I, I think she's done so many contemporary things and
she... and having met her a number of times she's just a very, a very
modern young woman. But then I changed my mind after I saw the movie...

Brenda Blethyn: Well it's nice to hear you say that because I, I
think she's terrific in it. And in fact a lot of people who have said
that - that they couldn't see her playing this part - have eaten their
words. They've stood up and said she's wonderful in this. Now I think
Joe Wright has got good performances out of everybody - um, me and Donald, Tom Hollander, Judi Dench,Keira and Matthew. Joe has to take a lot of credit for creating the right ambience for us
to work in and to make it a really good atmosphere for all of us to be
creative and not to feel silly if we tried something that didn't work. Read full article here.

"Before the first audition, when they asked me to come in and meet her, I thought 'I can't playJane to Keira Knightley's Lizzie' but I went and I met her, and thought she was so fabulous, and thought 'if they're prepared to take a risk with her, then I'll go with it.' We became really close."(Rosamund Pike)

P.S. Speaking of birthdays or in this case anniversary, my P&P (2005) Forumturns 11 years online today too! I created the P&P fan forum (the same day as Keira's birthday) 11 years ago, (March 26, 2006) today (of course, unaware at the time that it was her birthday, lol). So, yeah, there are 2 reasons to celebrate today and every year...KK's b-day and the P&P forum (even though I haven't posted there in a very long time...). How cool, eh?

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Another first look has been released (above photo by Robert Viglasky via Sundance Institute) of Keira Knightley, this time in her other upcoming film Colette, in which she stars with Dominic West. Keira plays the title role as a French novelist, Colette, overcomes an abusive marriage to emerge as a
leading writer in her country and a candidate for the Nobel Prize in
Literature.

The film will world premiere at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival in mid January 2018.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that the most successful film adaptation (I'm talking about the film version released in Theaters/Cinemas not the TV Mini-series version) ofJane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, Joe Wright's 2005Pride & Prejudice film (which was nominated for 4 Oscars including Best Actress for its lead star Keira Knightley; 2 Golden Globe including Best Actress nomination for Knightley; and 6 BAFTA nominations including The Carl Foreman Award for Special Achievement by a British Director) has the best ensemble cast. The main cast of P&P movie are incredible and multi-talented. Some of them have been working steady and continued to get recognized on
their own in various stage plays, television and film projects they've
done since their P&P movie was released a decade ago this month.

Pride & Prejudice (2005)

starring Keira Knightley & Matthew Macfadyen

Synopsis

Pride & Prejudice 2005Synopsis

When Elizabeth Bennet (Keira Knightley) meets the handsome Mr. Darcy (Matthew Macfadyen), she believes he is the last man on earth she could marry. But as their lives become intertwined in an unexpected adventure, she finds herself captivated by the very person she swore to loathe for all eternity. Based on the beloved masterpiece by Jane Austen, it is the classic tale of love and misunderstanding that sparkles with romance, wit and emotional force. Critics are calling it "Exhilarating. A joy from start to finish." (Carina Chocano, Los Angeles Times)

Taglines

Pride & Prejudice 2005Taglines

~*~ Sometimes the last person on earth you want to be with is the one person you can't be without.~*~A romance ahead of its time.

~*~ An opinionated young woman and an arrogant, rich snob overcome their initial antipathy and various other social obstacles to fall in love.

~*~This holiday season, experience the greatest love story of all time.

P&P Soundtrack

01. Dawn02. Stars And Butterflies03. The Living Sculptures Of Pemberley04. Meryton Townhall05. The Militia Marches In06. Georgiana07. Arrival At Netherfield08. A Postcard To Henry Purcell09. Liz On Top Of The World10. Leaving Netherfield11. Another Dance12. The Secret Life Of Daydreams13. Darcy's Letter14. Can't Slow Down15. Your Hands Are Cold16. Mrs. Darcy17. Credits

Music Written & Performed by Golden Globe, BAFTA, and Academy Award Winner Dario Marianelli

Performed by pianist Jean-Yves Thibaudet with The English Chamber Orchestra

Stage Play and TV & Film Schedule

»Love Song - In US Theaters February 17, 2017 (Jena Malone co-stars as Mindy)» Tulip Fever - In US Theaters August 25, 2017 (Judi Dench as The Abbess of St. Ursula and Tom Hollander co-star as Dr. Sorgh. Cornelius Booth also stars)» Victoria and Abdul - In US Theaters September 22, 2017 (Judi Dench co-stars and reprising her Mrs. Brown role as Queen Victoria)» Murder on the Orient Express - In US Theaters November 22, 2017 (Judi Dench co-starsasPrincess Dragomiroff)» Darkest Hour - In US Theaters November 24, 2017 (directed by Joe Wright)

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Disclaimer

Pride & Prejudice (2005) Blogis a fan resource only (for all P&P 05 actors news and P&P/Jane Austen related news and articles) and is part of Pride & Prejudice (2005) forum. It is, however, NOT affiliated to Focus Features, Working Title Productions, UniversalPictures, its creators, producers, and director (Joe Wright) or P&P Actors Keira Knightley, Matthew Macfadyen, Rosamund Pike,Simon Woods, Tom Hollander, Jena Malone, Carey Mulligan, Talulah Riley, Rupert Friend, Kelly Reilly, Claudie Blakley, Brenda Blethyn, Donald Sutherland, and Judi Dench. All P&P images, banners, Youtube video trailers and clips, film and actors' images are copyright to their respective owners. No copyright infringement is intended. All the materials used here is just for entertainment purposes only and no profit is being made from this P&P fan blog.